Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on Supernatural, Once Upon a Time, Arrow, Liars, Homeland and More

Why is Supernatural role-playing around? Will Once Upon a Time‘s nogoodnik captain find a friend in Maine? What has the Liars acting extra-paranoid? And why is Seth Gabel so “high” on Arrow? Read on for answers to those questions plus teases from other shows.

Supernatural| As previously reported, geek goddess Felicia Day will reprise her role of Charlie in an episode titled “LARP and the Real Girl.” Um, can someone explain…? “That is our live-action role-playing episode,” show boss Jeremy Carver shares. “We will discover that young Charlie Bradbury, in running from her past life, has found herself a new life in a new community. Basically, [she] has fallen into the welcoming arms of a community of LARPers.” Watch for Day’s return to air in mid-January.

Once Upon a Time | You may think that once he drops anchor in Storybrooke, Hook might not have any friends in town. But think again. Remember, the henchman Belle’s florist father hired was no less than Smee (played by Eureka‘s Christopher Gauthier), who is due to return after the holiday hiatus. “Smee will definitely play a part in Hook’s plans,” Colin O’Donoghue assured me. Speaking of the sidekick’s previous target, could Belle land in Hook’s hooks, as a way of getting back at his mortal foe Rumplestiltskin? “Belle is such a huge part of Rumple’s life…,” O’Donoghue agreed. “She might figure into the equation.”

Homeland| To the surprise of some, Jessica recently “reconnected” (so to speak) with old flame Mike, and seems to have no regrets about it. “I think she is allowing herself to go there, not knowing what is going to happen – and that is OK,” Morena Baccarin told us of her character’s mindset. “She’s been depleted for so long in her relationship with Brody that she is just finally getting something for herself.” Though that something may seem newly messy now, with Brody appropriately suspicious of the rekindled affair, Baccarin promises that by the season finale airing Dec. 16, “There will be resolution” one way or another.

Pretty Little Liars| We checked out the season opener airing Jan. 8, and paranoia is all the rage as Emily’s dad installs a home security system (can you blame him after all that’s happened?) and Mona returns to school but not before paying a nighttime visit to one of the girls. Meanwhile, Aria’s trying really hard to defend her dad against her friends’ suspicions, but a disturbing confrontation may force her to look at him in a new light. And if you, like the foursome, think you know who Aria stabbed during Halloween, prepare for a big twist! Lastly, two words: Cow brains.

Arrow| While working the red carpet at Fringe‘s 100th Episode party, I had the chance to ask Lincoln Lee Seth Gabel about his upcoming run of villainy on Arrow. As the CW hit’s incarnation of the DC baddie Vertigo, he’s playing The Count, a “street thug drug kingpin” whose No. 1 product is dubbed Vertigo. If taken orally, the drug makes the user feel as if “walking on air,” Gabel shared. But if injected… that’s when bad things happen – drawing the interest of one hooded vigilante. “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had,” said Gabel, who described his alter ego’s look as “very street,in a flamboyant, theatrical, grounded way,” with spiky hair, fingerless gloves and “a lot of black.” Does Oliver have his work cut out for him? Sure sounds like it. “I basically rule the street, so he’s got a long way to go up the chain to get to me,” Gabel warns.

Closing with a few reader questions….

Matt, why is CSI: NY ending their season so soon? I LOVE this show! Does this mean there will not be another season? –Grace
Actually, it was always the plan for CSI: NY Season 9 to have a shorter run, of 17 episodes — and the season-ender set for Feb. 22 is Episode 17. As for renewal talk, we’re months away from that.

Do you have any scoop on USA’s underrated gem, Suits? –Holly
We recently bumped into the omnipresent, always-working Rachael Harris, and she teased her upcoming encore as Harvard rep Sheila Sazs. “I have a bunch of fun stuff to do with Rick Hoffman,” who plays Louis Litt, she told us. “Let’s just say Rick needs a favor from Sheila!” (Suits returns Jan.17.)

I’ve been watching Revolution and find their crossbow interesting. I would like to know if it’s more than a prop, and is it available online. If so, where? –Walt
I asked around, Walt, and, alas, that bad boy is pretty much a custom job. “It was a crossbow purchased by the prop department for the pilot, then they had the original butt cut off to make it shorter. All the leather was added, and it was repainted as well,” a production rep tells me. Just as well, man – it’s all fun and games ’til someone loses an eye.

If there’s a show you’d like the Inside Line on, email mattmtvguy@gmail.com, and maybe it’ll get some love the next time around! (With reporting by Meg Masters and Vlada Gelman)

I’m really looking forward to seeing Charlie again. She was one of the few bright spots of the 7th season. I’m also really looking forward to the return of CAS. The promo that aired last night has me both stressed and worried and I truly hope Jeremy Carver doesn’t hurt our Angel too much. It is so hard to be a Cas fan. I’ve loved every moment he has been on the screen this fall and hope we see lots more Cas in 2013.

It’s so hard to be a Cas fan? Are you serious? It seems so much hard to be a Sam&Dean (brothers) fan lately. If you say one bad word about Castiel, you get slammed by a lot of the Castiel fans. In my opinion, it’s harder to not be a Cas fan.

Well yes, because Cas has died numerous times and now, just when we get him back, it looks like he’s in some kind of terrible danger. And sadly we don’t get to have him on the episode every week so yes, it is hard to be a Casfan. And since I am not saying any bad words about anyone, I fail to see how the second part of your comment applies to me.

Give me a break, they mention lots of different shows in this article. Just scan past a paragraph if it’s about a show that doesn’t apply to you. They put such nice headings in their paragraphs so that you can do exactly that. I only came here for Homeland and just looked for the Homeland header. It’s easy to do if you try it.

I agree, except Matt and Michael continually give scoop on their own favorites and it gets boring if one doesn’t watch those shows. I’ve asked questions for other shows but those never get mentioned. The fact that they always add “and more” in the headline gets us hopeful fans to read the article, only to be left disappointed once again.

Maybe I’ve got it wrong, but don’t people go to the blogs they enjoy that deal with the same things they’re interested in? If this blog doesn’t do it for you, find one that does. This is one of my favorite sites and has better writers than the likes of EW and some other big ones.

I’d rather them report on what they have, then nothing at all, I’m just happy Gossip Girl is ending so I don’t have to read through comment sections filled with GG fans. I love OUAT so I’m always happy to hear anything about it, but I can sympathize with you since thats how I feel about with Glee and other shows, especially, when they ask the same question over and over( Karofsky :/). Report on other shows too, Matt.

Y’all are forcing me to check out bows and crossbows. And now I want to shoot one. Since I’m a terrible shot with a pistol I can just imagine… What’s worse than terrible? Horrific? And it will be all Walt and Wordsmith and Matt’s fault.

I really don’t think Brody cares that much about Jessica’s feelings for Mike. In fact, I suspect he is a little relieved she has someone to move on with, because he is clearly in love with Carrie. That marriage is over. I loved in the last episode that smile on his face when he saw Carrie was calling him. Right in front of Jess too! Morena’s comments are making me incredibly nervous somebody is going to die in the finale, which is what will make it all resolved. If that is true, I just hope it’s Jess and not Brody. If they kill off Brody I am starting a riot.

Jessica unrealistic? She’s the most down-to-earth believable female character of all on Homeland. It’s unrealistic that the crazy slut Carrie is still working at the CIA and her relationship with Brody which doesn’t make any sense. So if we go by who’s unrealistic, it should be Carrie who dies.

I wouldn’t characterize her as “nymphomaniac”, but, yes, usually wives that have been waiting for their husbands to come back from war are, to put it bluntly, SUPER horny. I am curious why you would consider her behavior as one of nympho?

Jessica unrealistic? She’s the most down-to-earth believable female character of all on Homeland. It’s unrealistic that the crazy slut Carrie is still working at the CIA and her relationship with Brody which doesn’t make any sense. So if we go by who’s unrealistic, it should be Carrie who dies.

The guy who plays Hook is just adorable. There is so much they could do with him. I’ll be heart-broken if they don’t do anything with that. Hook is a villan, but there’s so much opportunity in him for who he could gradually become!